Mountain Kids - Summer

Mountain Kids

Playgrounds and Parks

The Vail Valley is known for being a grown-ups winter playground, but did you know it’s also home to dozens of children's playgrounds? State-of-the-art play structures, skate parks, and creekside picnic spots can be found in nearly every town in our Valley.

East Vail

Bighorn Park

This playground in East Vail reopened last fall with a complete face lift including new play structures made of beetle-killed lodge pole pines. Designers were especially mindful of the natural beauty of the park and worked with an environmental artist to create the active play structures which mimic the park's native willow stands.

Vail

Lionshead The Skatepark

The Skatepark returned to the top deck of the Lionshead parking structure last summer and will be reconstructed for this summer with obstacles for every age. The park features modular structures including a half-pipe, multiple ramps, transitions, rails and banks, plus a street course and an area for younger or less experienced riders to hone their skills. Open early June through mid-October. Helmets required.

Lionshead Arrabelle

Ford Park

This impressive playground features a large custom play area that includes a suspension bridge, climbing wall, multiple structures, climbers and slides that are meant to challenge kids of all ages. The park also has restrooms and field space.

Village Pirate Ship Park

Donovan Park

This playground includes structures constructed of peeled logs as well as whimsical art elements. Its visibility from I-70 attracts many traveling families during the summer months who marvel at its craftsmanship. Restrooms and picnic area are adjacent to the playground.

Avon

Harry A. Nottingham Park

The 48-acre park is centered on beautiful Nottingham Lake and offers a playground as well as basketball, beach volleyball, tennis courts, soccer fields, softball diamond, and park features for children, picnic tables, barbecue grills, and recreation paths for walking, bicycling or in-line skating. We also have paddleboat rentals available at Avon’s Log Cabin and fishing poles and bait for something more relaxing. An overall fantastic place to spend a summer afternoon!

Minturn

Little Beach Park

The new Little Beach Park and Amphitheater in Minturn is nestled between the Minturn Cliffs and the Eagle River. The perfect location for a family picnic or a party, the park has lots of shade trees, picnic tables and grills, easy access to the river and a variety of play structures for children of all ages. Stop by in the early evening and you may see a local band rehearsing on the amphitheater stage, which is adjacent to the playground.

Edwards

Freedom Park and Field House Playgrounds

Freedom Park in Edwards, Colorado is known for its off-leash dog park, located adjacent to the rest area off of Interstate 70. There is a walking path that surrounds the park and an area exclusively for dogs. Freedom Park offers more than just a dog park, with two playgrounds - one for little ones and another for bigger kids - as well as a sheltered picnic area, skate park, and restrooms. It also boasts a popular spot for little league baseball and a lacrosse field for the older crowd. The Aspen Lacrosse Club practices at Freedom Park. The park has become a popular playing field for several different sports activities and the large open fields provide a nice atmosphere to run and play with the kids.

Eagle

Town Park

A favorite for library visitors (across the street) and concert attendees (adjacent to the Town Park Centennial Stage), the newly improved park is centrally located near Broadway - the main street of town - and has multiple unique play structures, swings, and slides, as well as restrooms, seating, and picnic areas. The town park is also home to the weekly free Yoga in the Park every Sunday all summer long.

Brush Creek Park

Located off Capitol in-between town and Eagle Ranch, Brush Creek Park is filled with swings, slides, climbs and hanging opportunities for kids of all ages, this playground is sure to please. The award winning design features a variety of challenges and levels of progression for toddlers and older children. The playground is adjacent to the special events facility and has restrooms, picnic table, and field space. Parents will enjoy looking on with the gorgeous views of New York Mountain and surrounding Brush Creek.

Eagle Ranch

Offering nearly a dozen pocket parks of it’s own, the family friendly neighborhood of Eagle Ranch has play grounds dispersed throughout the area with easy access to all via bike and/or car. Each playground varies slightly, all have swings, slides, and other play structures. Several parks offer shaded areas for picnics, and one of the playgrounds in the Highlands has a covered picnic structure, power, and restrooms as well.

The Terrace

Located along Brush Creek Terrace off Brush Creek Road in the heart of residential Eagle, the park and playground at the Terrace has a full play structure with swings, sports fields, restroom, picnic area, and views of the Brush Creek Valley.

Gypsum

Library Playground

Located beside the Town of Gypsum library and near the Recreation Center, there are two well maintained playgrounds - one for younger children and one for older kids. Restrooms can be found at the library. Dogs are not allowed.

Kids’ Activities & Camps

An abundance of children's activities and camps are available throughout the Valley throughout the year, with a large offering of day camps in summer. Whether you’re looking for a scientific experience for your little naturalist, a full-throttle hockey challenge for your future Gretzky or an art intensive for your budding Picasso, from Vail to Gypsum, the Valley offers a wide array of fun, active, and educational camps and day activities.

Adventure Ridge

• Take a breathtaking gondola ride to Vail Mountain's Adventure Ridge. Enjoy disc golf, rebound trampoline, a BMX course, Dinosaur Dig, guided or self-hiking, bike tours, volleyball, bocce ball, and horseshoes. And don't forget to relax on Talon's Deck and take in the breathtaking views of the Sawatch, New York, and Gore Ranges while enjoying a cool drink.

Dobson Ice Arena

• Open year-round for ice skating activities even in the summer months! 970-479-2271

Imagination Station

• Ages 2-12; Open 10:00 am - 2:00 pm, Monday - Friday. Vail's learning and discovery center provides a wide array of fun science and art learning activities for children. Featuring a black-light room which captures shadows and a "sound of science" exhibit, there are plenty of activities to capture your child's imagination. A 3 hour drop-off program is available for children who are potty trained and older for $10/hr. Located above the Subway in the Lionshead Parking structure, call 970-479-2292 for details.

Lionshead Friday Family Fun Fair

• Every Friday in Lionshead bring the kids for FREE activities and fun from July 2 – August 13.

Raptor Rendezvous

• Join handlers from the Raptor Education Foundation for an exciting educational experience. This fun-filled FREE evening takes place at the base of the Eagle Bahn Gondola on Saturday afternoons in July until mid-August.

Vail Library Story Time

• Every Tuesday and Wednesday at 10:00 and 11:00 am, kids of all ages enjoy story time and arts & crafts.

Vail Nature Center

• This seven acre facility located in the heart of Vail hosts informative bird, wildflower, and beaver pond hikes. Open 7 days a week, the nature center offers a variety of classes for children and adults. 970-479-2291

Vail Nature Discovery Center - Walking Mountains

• Located in an all seasons yurt atop Vail Mountain, the center offers daily hikes and informative displays including animal exhibits, for visitors to learn more about our surrounding natural world.

Vail Stables

• Small animal camp for kids 3-10 years of age. Monday-Friday 9-12 or 12:30-3:30. Kids spend a 1/2 day holding, feeding and studying unique characteristics and having a good laugh at the chicks, kids (baby goats), bunnies, goslings, puppies, kittens, guinea pigs, ducklings and the mini-donkey. If they want more adventure, groups will hike up to the fort and add to the masterpiece of twine and sticks, track wildlife, or play in the stream.

Activity Sitters

• Activity Camp offers an adventurous summer & winter day camp for children 7 to 12 years. So whatever your family needs, Activity Sitters will make sure everyone is having fun. With so much creativity and imagination, the sky is the limit!

Alpine Arts Center

• Register your child/teen for themed art camps at Alpine Arts Center for ages 3-6, 7-12, and 13+. Camps are offered Monday through Friday throughout the summer with morning and afternoon sessions, and the option to sign up for a full week session or for a single day. Younger children can choose from camps such as A Pirate's Paradise, Yummy Art, Nature Art Camp, and Art Around the World, which will explore the theme through a variety of mediums ranging from painting and drawing to clay, mixed-media, printmaking, and more!

Minturn Anglers

• Minturn Anglers is proud to be Vail and Beaver Creek's most 'kid friendly' fly fishing shop! Children attending this camp will enjoy a day full of fly fishing, wildlife viewings and exploring the mountains. The camp is held from 10am to 3pm seven days a week and includes a fly rod, reel, fly box and instructional video as a gift for your child ($100 value). A snack is provided, but for an additional fee lunch can be substituted. Treat your children to a lasting memory and the beginnings of a lifelong hobby! A minimum of 2 children for this trip is required. Ages 6 to 12. Half-day trips.

Avon Library Story Time

Walking Mountains Science Center

• Located in Avon north of I-70, this sustainably designed one-of-a-kind five acre campus offers children and adults a world class environmental learning center complete with wetland areas, a spring fed pond, aspen forests and the National Forest. Open Monday - Saturday 9-5, admission is free. Includes outdoor learning areas, meadow learning studio, field studies base camp and discovery center. Walking Mountains offers a variety of programs throughout the summer including summer science camp (day 1st-8th grade, overnights 3rd - 12th grades and Earth Explorers 1st-2nd grades), visit the center website or in person for more information.

Eagle Rec District - Edwards Sports Camps

• Archery, gymnastics, rock climbing, cheerleading, skateboarding, even extreme athlete training are available via WECMRD day camps at the Edwards Field House, located adjacent to Freedom Park. Visit wecmrd.org or ring for more details.

Eagle Rec District Sports Camps

• Basektball, lacrosse, mountain biking, bmx, team building, swimming, arts and crafts, lawn sports…you name it, your kid can do it at the WECMRD (Western Eagle County Metropolitan Recreation District) summer sports camps in Eagle. Visit wecmrd.org or ring for more details.

Eagle Pool, Ice Rink, and Tennis Courts

• Located off Brush Creek Road, the Eagle Pool is open everyday in the summer and ice rink open everyday year round but the summer. The tennis courts are open year round and are free of charge.
Gypsum Rec Center

• Full gymnasium, indoor pool and track, fitness center, basketball court, climbing wall, and physical therapy center just to name a few of the facilities available to visitors of the Gypsum Recreation Center. A variety of summer sports camps are also offered. Visit wecmrd.org for more details.